METHOD FOR REGULATING THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF A PROPULSION DEVICE OF A HYBRID PROPULSION UNIT FOR AN AIRCRAFT, IN THE EVENT OF A FAILURE OF THE MAIN REGULATION SYSTEM OF THE HEAT ENGINE OF THE HYBRID PROPULSION UNIT

Abstract

A method for regulating the speed of a propulsion device of an aircraft including: the propulsion device and a gearbox MGB; the heat engine and at least one electric motor, mounted in parallel on the MGB, the heat engine having a fuel circuit; main and backup regulation systems, and a regulation system, each capable of regulating the speed of the heat engine or the electric motor, respectively; a control system of the aircraft, capable of sending a speed or power setpoint to each of the regulation of the heat engine and the electric motor. The method includes: sending a speed setpoint N.sub.M2ref to the regulation system of the electric motor, the regulation system sending a power command P.sub.M2*, to obtain an instantaneous power P.sub.M2m; simultaneously, sending a speed or power command to the backup regulation system of the heat engine, the backup regulation system sending a selected fuel flow command QCarbAux* to the fuel circuit of the heat engine.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the rotational speed (N.sub.p) of a propulsion device of a hybrid propulsion unit for an aircraft, in the event of failure of the main regulation system of the heat engine of the hybrid propulsion unit, the hybrid propulsion unit comprising: the propulsion device and a main gearbox, capable of driving the propulsion device; the heat engine and at least one electric motor, mounted in parallel on the main gearbox, the heat engine being provided with a fuel circuit capable of supplying fuel into a combustion chamber of the heat engine; a main regulation system of the heat engine, capable of regulating the rotational speed of the heat engine; a backup regulation system of the heat engine, capable of regulating the rotational speed of the heat engine when the main regulation system fails; a regulation system of the electric motor, capable of regulating the rotational speed of the electric motor; a control system of the aircraft, capable of sending a speed or power setpoint to each of the regulation means of the heat engine and of the electric motor; the method comprising, when the main regulation system of the heat engine fails and said system is locked to a fuel flow command QCarbP*, the steps of: sending a speed setpoint N.sub.M2ref to the regulation system of the electric motor, so that the regulation system of the electric motor sends a power command P.sub.M2* to the electric motor, whereby an instantaneous power P.sub.M2m of the electric motor is obtained; simultaneously, sending a rotational speed or power setpoint to the backup regulation system of the heat engine, so that the backup regulation system sends a fuel flow command QCarbAux* to the fuel circuit of the heat engine, the command QCarbAux* is selected so as to vary the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine depending on whether it is desired to vary the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, a reference power setpoint of the electric motor P.sub.M2ref* being sent to the backup regulation system of the heat engine, the fuel flow command QCarbAux* is selected by comparing the instantaneous power P.sub.M2m of the electric motor with the reference power P.sub.M2ref, and if P.sub.M2m<P.sub.M2ref, an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* is controlled such that it reduces the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby reducing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; if P.sub.M2m>P.sub.M2ref, an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* such that it increases the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby increasing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; if P.sub.M2m=P.sub.M2ref, the flow command QCarbAux* is kept constant.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a rotational speed setpoint N.sub.M1ref being sent to the backup regulation system of the heat engine, the instantaneous speed N.sub.M1m of the heat engine is measured and it is compared with the rotational speed setpoint N.sub.M1ref: if N.sub.M1ref<N.sub.M1m, an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* is controlled such that it reduces the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby reducing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; if N.sub.M1ref>N.sub.M1m, an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* is controlled such that it increases the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby increasing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; and if N.sub.M1ref=N.sub.M1m, the flow command QCarbAux* is kept constant; and simultaneously, the instantaneous power P.sub.M2m of the electric motor is compared with the reference power P.sub.M2ref, and if P.sub.M2m<P.sub.M2ref, the rotational speed setpoint of the heat engine N.sub.M1ref is reduced; if P.sub.M2m>P.sub.M2ref, the rotational speed setpoint of the heat engine N.sub.M1ref is raised.

4. A device for regulating the rotational speed (N.sub.p) of a propulsion device of a hybrid propulsion unit for an aircraft, in the event of failure of the main regulation system of the heat engine of the hybrid propulsion unit, the hybrid propulsion unit comprising: the propulsion device and a main gearbox, capable of driving the propulsion device; the heat engine and at least one electric motor, mounted in parallel on the main gearbox, the heat engine being provided with a fuel circuit capable of transferring fuel into a combustion chamber of the heat engine; a main regulation system of the heat engine, capable of regulating the rotational speed of the heat engine; a backup regulation system of the heat engine, capable of regulating the rotational speed of the heat engine when the main regulation system fails; a regulation system of the electric motor, capable of regulating the rotational speed of the electric motor; a control system of the aircraft, capable of sending a speed or power setpoint to each of the regulation means of the heat engine and of the electric motor; the device further comprising, when the main regulation system of the heat engine fails and said system is locked to a fuel flow command QCarbP*, means configured to: send a speed setpoint N.sub.M2ref to the regulation system of the electric motor, so that the regulation system of the electric motor sends a power command P.sub.M2* to the electric motor, whereby an instantaneous power P.sub.M2m of the electric motor is obtained; simultaneously, send a rotational speed or power setpoint to the backup regulation system of the heat engine, so that the backup regulation system sends a fuel flow command QCarbAux* to the fuel circuit of the heat engine, the command QCarbAux* is selected so as to vary the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the engine depending on whether it is desired to increase or decrease the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein, a reference power setpoint of the electric motor P.sub.M2ref* being sent to the backup regulation system of the heat engine, the fuel flow command QCarbAux* is selected by comparing the instantaneous power P.sub.M2m of the electric motor with the reference power P.sub.M2ref, and wherein the device comprises means configured to: if P.sub.M2m<P.sub.M2ref, control an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* such that it reduces the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby reducing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; if P.sub.M2m>P.sub.M2ref, control an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* such that it increases the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby increasing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; if P.sub.M2m=P.sub.M2ref, keep the flow command QCarbAux* constant.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein a rotational speed setpoint N.sub.M1ref being sent to the backup regulation system of the heat engine, the instantaneous speed N.sub.M1m of the heat engine is measured and it is compared with the rotational speed setpoint N.sub.M1ref and wherein the device comprises means configured to: if N.sub.M1ref<N.sub.M1m, control an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* such that it reduces the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby reducing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; if N.sub.M1ref>N.sub.M1m, control an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* such that it increases the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the heat engine, thereby increasing the power P.sub.M1 of the heat engine; and if N.sub.M1ref=N.sub.M1m, keep the flow command QCarbAux* constant; and simultaneously, compare the instantaneous power P.sub.M2m of the electric motor with the reference power P.sub.M2ref, and if P.sub.M2m<P.sub.M2ref, reduce the rotational speed setpoint of the heat engine N.sub.M1ref; if P.sub.M2m>P.sub.M2ref, raise the rotational speed setpoint of the heat engine N.sub.M1ref.

7. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the method according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] Other aspects, aims, advantages and features of the invention will appear better upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the latter, given as a non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

[0068] FIG. 1 shows an example of a parallel hybrid architecture according to the prior art;

[0069] FIG. 2 shows an example of a parallel hybrid architecture used by the method according to the invention;

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a detail of the parallel hybrid architecture used by the method according to the invention in one embodiment;

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a detail of the parallel hybrid architecture used by the method according to the invention in another embodiment.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

[0072] The solution proposed by the invention is an architecture for controlling the rotational speed of a propulsion device, which allows continuing to modulate the power output by the two motors, despite the failure of the main regulation system of the heat engine.

[0073] This solution may be applied to any parallel hybrid propulsion unit where at least one electric motor and at least one heat engine (for example a gas turbine) drive, in parallel, a gearbox to a propulsion device, which may be, for example, a rotor, a propeller of a turboprop engine, or a fan of a turbojet engine. For example, this architecture may allow controlling the rotational speed of a helicopter rotor.

[0074] The method for modulating the power of the engine 1 according to the invention is not restrictive in terms of physical implementation of the different regulation systems.

[0075] A particularly advantageous, yet non-limiting, implementation of the invention is described in FIG. 2.

[0076] In FIG. 2, the parallel hybrid propulsion unit includes, as in FIG. 1, a main gearbox 3, a propulsion device 4, a main heat engine (engine 1), a secondary electric engine (motor 2), a regulation system 6 of the motor 2, and a control system 7 of the aircraft.

[0077] Unlike FIG. 1 of the prior art, the regulation system 5 of the engine 1 is herein replaced by a main regulation system 51 of the engine 1 capable of regulating the rotational speed of the engine 1 by modulating the power output by the engine 1 through the main fuel flow command QCarbP* sent to the fuel circuit 8 of the engine 1. this main fuel flow command QCarbP* varies the fuel flow QCarb that is injected into the combustion chamber of the engine 1. It should be noted that the references 1 (heat engine) and 8 (fuel circuit) of FIG. 2 correspond, with a more accurate level of details, to the reference 18 of FIG. 1 (the heat engine 18 of FIG. 1 comprising a fuel circuit which is not shown).

[0078] There is also a backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 capable of modulating the power P.sub.M1 output by the engine 1, by controlling an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux*. The backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 is independent of the main regulation system 51, so that a failure of the main system 51 does not at the same time affect the backup system 52.

[0079] The auxiliary fuel flow command QCarbAux* may indifferently increase or decrease the fuel flow QCarb, which is output by the fuel circuit 8 of the engine 1 and which is injected into the combustion chamber of the engine 1. Hence, this auxiliary fuel flow is added to or subtracted from the fuel flow QCarbP controlled by the main regulation system 51.

[0080] The modulation of the fuel flow QCarb, up or down with respect to the locked value QCarbP*, may be carried out by an electro-hydraulic member located in the fuel circuit 8 of the engine 1, so-called auxiliary metering valve. An electro-hydraulic member (main metering valve), also located in the fuel circuit 8 of the engine 1, also modulates the fuel flow QCarb, except when the regulation system of the engine 1 fails and the command QCarbP* is blocked. The architecture of the circuit and the presence of the auxiliary metering valve allow increasing or decreasing the flow initially locked by the main metering valve. Hence, there are two different hydraulic members, respectively for the main and auxiliary metering.

[0081] The backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 is independent of the main regulation system 51, so that a failure of the main regulation system 51 does not at the same time affect the other system.

[0082] Preferably, yet without limitation (and as shown in FIG. 2), the main regulation system 51 of the engine 1 can exchange information with the regulation system 6 of the motor 2, in order to coordinate the power output by each of the engines when they operate simultaneously. According to this particular embodiment, the main regulation system 51 of the engine 1 can act on the power output by the motor 2.

[0083] According to the architecture shown in FIG. 2, in the event of a total failure of the main regulation system 51 of the engine 1, the main fuel flow command QCarbP* is locked, but the control system of the aircraft 7 can continue to regulate the rotational speed of the propulsion device, regardless of the power output by the engine 1 when the failure occurred, thanks to: [0084] the motor 2 and to its dedicated regulation system 6; and [0085] the backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1.

[0086] It is assumed that, because of the failure of the main regulation system 51 of the engine 1, no more information processed by the main regulation system 51 is available. In particular, the measurement of the power output by the engine 1 P.sub.M1, at the time when the main fuel flow QCarbP has been locked, is not available.

[0087] This backup regulation of the engine 1 by means of the backup regulation system 52 could offer degraded performances with regards to the main regulation system 51, in particular in terms of power regulation dynamics.

[0088] Also, in this failure situation, the control of the rotational speed of the propulsion device may preferably be carried out according to the following embodiment.

[0089] The backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 is configured so that it ensures a slow modulation of the power output by the engine 1. To do so, the backup regulation system 52 modulates the auxiliary fuel flow command QCarbAux* so that the engine 1 outputs an adapted power P.sub.M1, which may be lower than the power needs of the propulsion device. Thus, the backup regulation system 52 coarsely adapts the power output by the engine 1 to the flight situation of the aircraft (for example, in the case of a helicopter, climb, cruise, descent, etc.).

[0090] In parallel, and simultaneously, the regulation system 6 of the motor 2 varies rapidly and to the exact needs the power P.sub.M2 output by the motor 2 by finely regulating the rotational speed of the propulsion device. The power output by the motor 2 P.sub.M2 is then added to that one output by the engine 1 P.sub.M1 in order to meet the needs of the propulsion device. Thus, the total power output to the propulsion device profits from the rapid dynamics of the motor 2 to meet the needs of instantaneous power variations of the propulsion device.

[0091] The slow nature of the real-time adaptation of the command QCarbAux* enables the motor 2 (faster than the engine 1) to perfectly compensate for the additional power supplied to the rotor with the command P.sub.M2*. The fact that the variations of the engine 1 are slow allows avoiding risks of dynamic disturbances between the regulation of the two motors, which would generate power and/or speed oscillations of the propulsion device 4, which is detrimental to piloting.

[0092] The slow modulation of the power output by the engine 1 P.sub.M1 may be carried out by determining the power needs of the aircraft. To do so, this determination may be based on one or more element(s) listed hereinbelow without limitation: [0093] a command or a measurement of the collective pitch of the aircraft; [0094] an anticipated power piece of information originating from the aircraft; [0095] the power output by the motor 2 P.sub.M2, averaged over a given duration; [0096] any other piece of information allowing estimating the average level of the power requirement of the propulsion device.

[0097] An advantageous solution for modulating the power of the engine 1 P.sub.M1 is described in FIG. 3. It consists in regulating the rotational speed of the propulsion device through the regulation of the rotational speed N.sub.M2 of the motor 2. This regulation may be rapid, in order to effectively vary the power output to the propulsion device around an average power.

[0098] The instantaneous power of the motor 2 P.sub.M2m, necessary for maintaining the rotational speed of the propulsion device on its setpoint, is used by the backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 to compare it with a reference power P.sub.M2ref selected by design to guarantee a satisfactory flight margin. Thus: [0099] if the instantaneous power output by the motor 2 P.sub.M2m is lower than the reference power P.sub.M2ref, the backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 controls an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* such that it reduces the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the engine 1; [0100] conversely, if the instantaneous power output by the motor 2 P.sub.M2m is higher than the reference power P.sub.M2ref, the backup regulation system 52 controls an auxiliary fuel flow QCarbAux* such that it increases the fuel flow QCarb injected into the combustion chamber of the engine 1, thereby increasing the power of the engine 1.

[0101] QCarbAux* is an auxiliary fuel flow command of the engine 1 which is adapted to the average needs of the propulsion device. This command QCarbAux* may be negative, in order to reduce the power of the engine 1 below the power that it displayed when the failure of the main regulation system 51 occurred, or positive.

[0102] It should be noted that this method of slow modulation of the power output by the engine 1 according to this embodiment does not use any information on the state of the engine 1. Hence, this embodiment does not require any measurement means dedicated to the backup system.

[0103] This slow modulation of the power output by the engine 1 P.sub.M1 is intended to keep the average power output by the motor 2 at a selected level, for example at the middle of the power range of the motor 2. This choice allows maximizing the amplitude of rapid variation of the power of the propulsion device. The regulation of the power of the engine 1 should be slow enough: [0104] so as to be compatible with the operation of the backup regulation system of the engine 1; and [0105] so that the modulation of the power of the engine 1 does not disturb the regulation of the rotational speed of the motor 2.

[0106] The main advantages of this method of slow modulation of the power output by the engine 1 proposed in the context of the invention are: [0107] being able to keep the main engine (herein, the engine 1) in operation, regardless of the power level at which it was when the failure of the main regulation system occurs; [0108] offering the maximum power margin to the pilot in order to conduct the end of the flight until landing, which guarantees the maximum safety; [0109] guaranteeing the stability of the regulation of the rotational speed of the propulsion device thanks to the frequency decoupling between the two motors, namely the slow modulation of the power of the engine 1 and the rapid regulation of the rotational speed by the motor 2; [0110] minimizing the power demanded from the motor 2, which also minimizes the power drawn from the battery which supplies it and thus increases its autonomy. This aspect has two interests, namely, on the one hand, enabling the pilot to have more time, and therefore a longer crossable distance, to conduct the emergency landing (safety interest) and, on the other hand, the autonomy offered could also enable the pilot to complete his/her flight until reaching his/her scheduled end point, or to return to the starting base in order to be able to carry out the necessary maintenance operations (operational interest).

[0111] As specified before, the method for modulating the power of the engine 1 as described in FIG. 3 is a particularly advantageous yet non-limiting implementation and it may take on different forms. Indeed, the proposed invention is not restrictive in terms of physical implementation of the aforementioned different regulation systems.

[0112] Thus, the backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 may, for example, form part of the engine 1 itself or be integrated into the control system 7 of the aircraft.

[0113] In turn, the regulation of the rotational speed of the propulsion device in the event of failure of the main regulation system 51 of the engine 1 may be implemented, for example, in the regulation system of the motor 2 or in the control system of the aircraft.

[0114] The regulation system 6 of the motor 2 may, itself, be part (partially or totally) of the control system 7 of the aircraft.

[0115] Among the other forms of implementation mentioned hereinabove, mention may be made of present the embodiment described in FIG. 4. In this case, the backup regulation system 52 of the engine 1 regulates the rotational speed of the engine 1 on the setpoint N.sub.M1ref. To do so, it uses a rotational speed measurement chain 9 of the free turbine of the engine 1, which is independent of any measurement means of the main regulation system 51 and which measures the rotational speed of the engine 1 N.sub.M1. According to another embodiment which is not shown, it is also possible to use a rotational speed measurement chain of the propulsion device 4.

[0116] Unlike conventional turboshaft engines (without parallel hybridization), the rotational speed setpoint N.sub.M1ref is, in this embodiment, regulated according to the instantaneous power output by the motor 2 P.sub.M2m, in order to keep the latter at a desired level, according to the same selection criteria as the embodiment described in FIG. 3.

[0117] Thus: [0118] when the instantaneous power of the motor 2 P.sub.M2m is higher than the desired level (reference power P.sub.M2ref), the rotational speed setpoint of the engine 1 N.sub.M1ref is raised so that the engine 1 outputs more power; [0119] and conversely, when the instantaneous power of the motor 2 P.sub.M2m is too low, the rotational speed setpoint of the engine 1 N.sub.M1ref is reduced, so that the engine 1 outputs less power.

[0120] In FIG. 4, the regulation of the speed setpoint of the engine 1 takes place in the control system 7 of the aircraft.

[0121] The comparison between P.sub.M2m and P.sub.M2ref is herein done in the block 7 Modulation of the speed setpoint of the engine 1 of FIG. 4. The comparison scheme is the same as the block 52 of FIG. 3, with the difference that the output is the rotational speed setpoint of the engine 1 N.sub.M1ref, instead of being the auxiliary flow command QCarbAux*.

[0122] The comparison between N.sub.M1ref and N.sub.M1 is the operation which allows determining the auxiliary flow command QCarbAux*. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 is less direct than that of FIG. 3 since it involves two nested regulation loops: a first power loop P.sub.M2 which generates the setpoint N.sub.M1ref, and a second speed loop to finally generate the auxiliary flow command QCarbAux*. This embodiment has the advantage that it allows using the backup regulation system of the engine 1 (the block 52 of FIG. 4).

[0123] It should be noted that some elements that are present in FIG. 2 have not been shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example the control system of the aircraft in FIG. 3, and the main regulation system of the engine 1 in FIGS. 3 and 4. These elements are actually present in the hybrid propulsion unit according to the invention, but have not been shown in order to facilitate reading of FIGS. 3 and 4.